Walter Breen | |
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| Born | September 5, 1928 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | April 27, 1993 (aged 64) Chino, California, U.S. |
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| Education | Georgetown University |
| Alma mater | Johns Hopkins University (BA) |
| Genre | Fantasy, science fiction, science fantasy, historical fantasy |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Walter Henry Breen Jr. (September 5, 1928 – April 27, 1993) was an American numismatist, writer, and convicted child sex offender. He was known among coin collectors for writing Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. "Breen numbers", from his encyclopedia, are widely used to attribute varieties of coins. He was also known for activity in the science fiction fan community and for his writings in defense of pederasty as a NAMBLA activist. He was arrested in 1990 for child sex abuse and died in prison three years later.
From 1964 to 1990 Breen was married to popular science fiction and fantasy author Marion Zimmer Bradley; it was later revealed that Bradley had been aware of his crimes.